Short list for Rothman's seat
By Wally EdgeIf U.S. Rep. Steven Rothman (D-Fair Lawn) decides not to seek re-election next year, possible candidates for his seat include: State Sens. Robert Gordon (D-Fair Lawn) and Paul Sarlo (D-Wood-Ridge), retiring Englewood Mayor Michael Wildes, Assemblyman Gordon Johnson (D-Englewood), Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Englewood), and Bergen County Freeholder Bernadette McPherson.
If State Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Teaneck) loses her bid for Lt. Governor, she could emerge as a strong candidate for Congress. If Weinberg wins, Huttle is the favorite to take her State Senate seat. Sarlo, the Senate Judiciary Chairman, has not expressed a huge desire to go to Congress; he is a possible candidate for Senate Majority Leader next year, or to chair the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee.
Wildes, who is not seeking re-election after two terms as mayor, has long been interested in Rothman's congressional seat. A strong fundraiser, he has $642,983 sitting in a federal campaign account, just in case.
More than 70% of the Democratic primary voters live in Bergen County. The district includes Secaucus and parts of Jersey City, North Bergen, and Kearny, and Hawthorne in Passaic County.
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Syndicate
sleazy lawyers
what a team of sleazy liberal lawyers
Rothman & the 9th CD
Can we bring some sensibility and logic to this non-issue?
Rothman will be a candidate in 2010 barring some radical change in the political landscape which would give him the opportunity to run statewide.
This "short list" of successors is not only meaningless, it fails to take into account legislative re-apportionment at both the state and federal levels where NJ could in fact lose one seat in the House of Representatives.
Should that occur, Rothman would hardly be a casualty. Other Democrats with less seniority and other Republicans could find themselves gerrymandered.
Having said that, let's consider this field:
* Michael Wildes has been a congressional candidate in waiting for about 5 years. The problem is he's completely unknown outside of Englewood City and money doesn't win elections. Ask Bob Gordon.
* Bob Gordon is seeking a legislative district to run in and doesn't want the ugly prospect of being place in the same district as another incumbent (Sarlo, Girgenti, et al). For now, Bob Gordon seems pretty happy just getting re-elected in the 38th.
* Paul Sarlo has the same problem. The 36th could be eliminated or possibly changed in such a way that finds him in a very competitive district or in a potential primary sceanrio with Sacco, Girgenti, Gordon or Weinberg for that matter. His concentration is on re-districting, not congress.
* Valerie Huttle could see herself as the heri apparent to Loretta should Corzine prevail. She better start raising money now because Wildes will be a candidate in the 37th. Englewood could be gerrymandered and just holding on to her assembly seat could be a struggle. Huttle is not Loretta Weinberg.
* Bernadette McPherson. Are you serious? This former dual-job holder got crushed for re-election and practically took the Rutherford Democratic Party with her. She should thank her lucky stars she's still a freeholder! She has no chance to elevate and her standing in S Bergen is dubious at best.
Vote Column "A" - All the way!